'Unique talent of New Yorkers.' Drivers work together to clear tree blocking Taconic traffic during storm
A group of drivers took action when a fallen tree snarled holiday traffic.
More Stories
A special look on this holiday at the power of New Yorkers coming together. It all started with a tree falling on the Taconic State Parkway, blocking traffic on one of the busiest travel days of the year.
It was a strong storm that rolled through Dutchess County Thursday evening.
Seth Kramer was driving home on the Taconic State Parkway.
At one point, he came across a big traffic backup.
"I got tired of sitting in my car, I got up and ran up to see what was going on. I found a group of people had left their cars and were trying to do two things, there was a car stuck in the mud, people were trying to get that out and others were trying to remove the tree that was blocking the way," said Kramer.
Kramer said the tree had all the northbound lanes blocked.
"I asked someone, 'Are there emergency personnel here, who's in charge?' and they said, 'We are.' It was a civilian effort," said Kramer.
One of those people had a smaller chainsaw on hand. The group of strangers got to work and eventually cleared up the road.
"Everyone seemed to know where to be without getting in each other's way," Kramer told News 12.
Kramer documented it all on camera. He's a filmmaker with Ironbound Films.
His video is shining a light on what New Yorkers will do to help each other.
"Everyone in the world wants to be able to help so that's not unique, that's universal but being able to do it and just know where to be in this coordinated way, I would argue it's a unique talent of New Yorkers," Kramer told News 12.
